Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing
Late on March 9, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted a suicide drone that was allegedly launched by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) over the southern Saudi province of Jizan.
In a statement, the coalition claimed that the suicide drone was successfully shot down by its air defense means. Still, the attack resulted in some material losses. According to the coalition, the drone was launched by Houthi fighters from the western Yemeni province of al-Hudaydah.
Photos released by the Saudi Press Agency show what appears to be the wing of a Houthi-made suicide drone of the Samad family. Drones of this type are known to have a long range.
صور لبعض آثار الأضرار المدنية التي خلفها الاعتداء بالطائرة المسيرة المعادية على مدينة جيزان.#واس_عام pic.twitter.com/ffSpkGTgY4
— واس العام (@SPAregions) March 9, 2022
The Houthis are yet to officially claim responsibility for the attack. This was the second drone attack on Saudi Arabia to be attributed to the Houthis in less than a week. The first attack, which also targeted the Kingdom’s southern region, was on March 7.
Recently, the Houthis stepped down their drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia. The move came following a decrease in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on Yemen.
The Houthis’ offensive capabilities continue to pose a real threat to Saudi Arabia and its allies. The coalition has been trying to neutralize these capabilities, which were reportedly built with help from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, for nearly seven years now.
